Act 1 · Cold open

The Room at Golden Corral

THE STORY Justin met Victor Crumity Sr. at a seminar at a Golden Corral and was instantly impressed by how fast he connected with people and commanded the room; the episode asks what Victor does in those first few minutes, and whether anyone can learn it.

THE LESSON The episode tests whether connecting fast with a room is a gift or a practice, and breaks down what Victor does in his first few minutes so you can plan and rehearse your own before your next seminar or appointment.

THE PROMISE Today Victor shows you what he does in his first few minutes with a room, so you can plan your own before your next seminar or appointment.

0:00-1:30

I need to hear how this ends.

ASK If you've ever stood up in front of people and felt the room slipping, subscribe. Every week we break down what works in front of real people, and this week it's Victor's first few minutes.

Act 2 · Before

Before Anyone Called It a Gift

1:30-9:00

This is a real person. I know someone like this.

Your tie I've known Victor for years.

1. 1★ MUST ASKVictor, I'll say it on the record: the day I met you at that seminar at Golden Corral, I was instantly impressed with how fast you connected with people. Take me back before all that. Where were you, and what pulled you into this business?
2. 2Do you remember that day at Golden Corral? Take me into that room. What do you remember about the people in it?
3. 3Before you ever stood in front of a room, who taught you how to talk to people? A job, somebody in your family, somebody you watched?
4. 4When you got to Humana, what did you think the job was, and what turned out to actually be true?
5. 5Did you sell before you managed, or did they hand you a team early? Take me to the first day you had people counting on you.
6. 6Is there anyone in your family in this business? What did you learn from watching them?
7. 7A lot of agents think you either have it with a crowd or you don't. You told me you connect on purpose with anybody in your bubble, no matter who they are. When did you start doing that on purpose?After questions

IF THEY GO THERE

PLANT What's something about standing in front of people you've never said on a podcast? (after he tells how he first figured out he could hold a room)

Cue After his Golden Corral answer, stay on it for one more follow-up before moving on.

Cue Victor says he hasn't run an actual seminar in years. Let him talk about any room, a kitchen table or one person, not only seminars.After questions

Act 3 · The climb

The Room That Got Away

9:00-21:00

Tension. "How did they get through that?

1. 8★ MUST ASKYou told me there have been plenty of times you just didn't make a connection with a room. Take me to one of those. Where were you standing, and when did you know?After questions
2. 9You told me that when it doesn't connect, you move on to the business at hand and call it a day. How do you make that call in the moment? And be honest, what did you want to do?After questions
3. 10As a sales manager, did you ever watch an agent freeze in front of people? What did that look like from where you sat?
4. 11From the back of the room it looks easy. What part of running a seminar is harder than people think?
5. 12When you're the one everybody expects to command the room, are there days nobody sees you're running on empty?
6. 13When it got hard, who did you lean on, and who did you deliberately not talk to?
7. 14Some rooms stay with you for a while. Go back to that room that got away. What did you tell yourself after that one?

IF THEY GO THERE

PLANT What happens to an agent who never learns to connect with a room? (after he describes the agent who froze)

Cue If he named a different hard moment in question 8, use his words for it in the reset.

ASK If you've ever had a room that wasn't with you, what was the first sign? Tell me in the comments.

ASK If you've got a seminar coming up, subscribe now, because next we break down Victor's first few minutes.

Act 4 · The turn

The First Few Minutes

21:00-31:00

Oh. That's what I've been doing wrong.

1. 15★ MUST ASKGo back to the next room after that one. Did you start differently, or did you just keep going? Take me to the first time it worked. Where were you, and what did the room do?
2. 16You told me you look for common ground and key on any little thing you pick up. Walk me through your first two minutes with a room. What are you doing before you say a word?After questions
3. 17What's the first thing you actually say? Give it to me word for word.
4. 18You told me smiles, nods, body language and chuckles tell you it's landing. Which one do you watch for first, and what do most agents miss?After questions
5. 19Somebody in the back has their arms crossed. What do you do with that person?
6. 20You told me some of your seminars had a CMS shopper in the room, and they'd come up at the end to say they liked your presentation style. What do you think they were seeing?After questions
7. 21You told me you're always the same and never try to be someone else. A lot of agents memorize a script for seminars. Does that help you or hurt you in the first few minutes?After questions
8. 22Everybody's got a theory about seminars. What do most agents believe about them that you think is flat wrong?
9. 23My book says talent wins the room and systems win the year. Is that true of your first few minutes, or is that part a system too?
10. 24If you had to explain working a room to someone who's never sold insurance, what's it like?
11. 25How do you practice this? Do you rehearse out loud, or do you just get in front of people?
12. 26Here's how I'd say the lesson: connecting fast with a room isn't only a gift, it's what you do in your first few minutes, and an agent can plan it and practice it. Is that right, or how would you say it?

IF THEY GO THERE

PLANT Where were you the day that room got away, and where are you now when you walk into a room? (after he describes the first time it worked in question 15)After questions

Cue Use the like ask here only if question 15 is the big answer; otherwise save it for the biggest answer in this act.

Callback Brenda Powell told us to set up shop where the people already are. So let's talk about what you do once they're sitting in front of you.

Book Talent wins the room, systems win the year. That's Field Entry 10 in my book.

ASK If that one changes how you'll start your next seminar, hit like.

Act 5 · The close

For the Agent Who Dreads the Front of the Room

31:00-38:00

Respect, and a push to act.

1. 27★ MUST ASKWhat's the one thing about connecting with a room that no amount of practice can fix?
2. 28What did becoming the guy who can command a room cost you? Not the money. The real cost.
3. 29And what, if anything, did it give you back?
4. 30Think about that room that got away. Where do you stand with it now?
5. 31Somebody's listening right now who dreads standing up in front of people. What do you want to say to them?
6. 32If your younger self were about to stand up at his first seminar, what would you tell him?
7. 33Here's what I'd tell an agent: before Friday, write down the first two minutes of your next seminar or appointment and say them out loud three times. Give me the Victor Crumity challenge. What would you change?
8. 34Who was the first person who made you feel like you belonged in this business, and did you ever tell them?
9. 35What question do you want to leave for our next guest?

IF THEY GO THERE

PLANT If you had to say that in one sentence to an agent who's nervous before their first seminar, what would it be? (after he answers the younger-self question)

Cue Every guest leaves a question for the next person in this chair. You're the first, so this one's mine.

Cue If Carla Cox recorded first and left a question, say: Every guest leaves a question for the next person in this chair. Carla Cox left you this one.

Cue If Victor said whether it's a gift or a practice, say it back in his words right before the closing.